1/144 P-38J Backdated to P-38E/F
Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2015 10:11 am
I always liked the earlier version of the P-38. The sleeker oil cooler intakes were much more attractive in appearance than the later clunkier ones. It just looked like it was going fast while standing still. With the huge collection of 1/144 we have I needed to add this aircraft so I finally got the urge to make one.
I took an old Crown/Academy kit ( I didn't realize how bad this kit is) and started.
I filled the lower portions of the booms with putty to give me a base for reshaping and the top of the boom with reformed fishing weights for balance. I filled the nose with weight so the plane would sit correctly without a tail stand.
The two booms showing one reshaped and the other standard. The side boom radiators also were different shape on the earlier P-38's.
More forming and checking and filling and sanding.
The gun ports had to drilled out.
Oil cooler inlets drilled and formed. The right side had to be filled and drilled 3 times before I was happy.
First coat of paint to find imperfections.
Gear doors were made from thin sheet plastic.
The props needed much thinning and reshaping.
Got her on her wheels. The landing gear struts had to reworked to give them the proper height to make her sit properly.
Props are done.
NOW THE CANOPY!
The kit canopy is a miss shaped clear blob of plastic. I took a Bandai P-38 canopy and attempted to home vac u form a new one but it just did not work out right. I might have used a clear sheet that was a little too thick and besides forming over the Bandai canopy made the new one oversize.
So there was only one thing to do.
Make my own framework.
TO BE CONTINUED.
I took an old Crown/Academy kit ( I didn't realize how bad this kit is) and started.
I filled the lower portions of the booms with putty to give me a base for reshaping and the top of the boom with reformed fishing weights for balance. I filled the nose with weight so the plane would sit correctly without a tail stand.
The two booms showing one reshaped and the other standard. The side boom radiators also were different shape on the earlier P-38's.
More forming and checking and filling and sanding.
The gun ports had to drilled out.
Oil cooler inlets drilled and formed. The right side had to be filled and drilled 3 times before I was happy.
First coat of paint to find imperfections.
Gear doors were made from thin sheet plastic.
The props needed much thinning and reshaping.
Got her on her wheels. The landing gear struts had to reworked to give them the proper height to make her sit properly.
Props are done.
NOW THE CANOPY!
The kit canopy is a miss shaped clear blob of plastic. I took a Bandai P-38 canopy and attempted to home vac u form a new one but it just did not work out right. I might have used a clear sheet that was a little too thick and besides forming over the Bandai canopy made the new one oversize.
So there was only one thing to do.
Make my own framework.
TO BE CONTINUED.
